3 famous Indian players who've played in T20 leagues other than the IPL

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) bars its players from contesting in any of the T20 leagues except the Indian Premier League (IPL). The board has adopted this policy in order to increase the relevance of the league as it is only the domestic T20 competition where the Indian & foreign cricket stars play in the same team.

However, there have been some exceptions to the aforementioned matter as some Indian players have played for non-IPL franchises all over the world.

Here's a brief summary of the top 4 incidents.

---

#3 Virender Sehwag, Gemini Arabians, Masters Champions League 2016

Masters Champions League was a cricket T20 tournament which took place in the UAE in early 2016. Several legends of the game including Sourav Ganguly were a part of the player draft. However, Ganguly could not take part due to injury concerns but Virender Sehwag who was bought by the Gemini Arabians franchise for $ 50,000 set the tournament on fire.

His quick-fire innings at the top laid perfect platforms for the likes of Kumar Sangakkara to score big. Sehwag was the second highest run scorer in the MCL, behind Kumar Sangakkara with 318 runs in 6 matches at an outstanding strike rate of 183.81 and averaging 53.

The Delhi batsman’s highest score came against the Sagittarius Strikers at Sharjah where he destroyed the opposition bowling scoring 134 off 63 balls. His knock comprised 11 sixes. Riding on the Indian batsman’s heroics, the Gemini Arabians finished at the top of the six-team table staying undefeated in the group stage. Sehwag also played a vital innings in the first semi-final where his 83 off 50 against the Strikers led his team to the tournament’s finale.

#2 Murali Kartik, Middlesex

Murali Kartik

Indian discard Murali Kartik is the only Indian player to have played in the IPL, Champions League T20, Stanford 20/20 (England) and the Masters Champions League.

The left-arm-spinner was instrumental in Middlesex’s championship victory. In the English domestic T20 championships, Kartik scalped 14 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 20.

Murali had also played in the Masters Champions League in the U.A.E in 2016 where he represented the Virgo Super Kings. The franchise bought Kartik for USD $52,000 however the Graeme Smith led team bowed out in the semi-finals of the tournament.

#1 Ramesh Powar, Leo Lions

Ramesh Powar

Another discarded Indian off-spinner, Ramesh Powar took part in the inaugural edition of the Masters Champions League in 2016. Brian Lara’s Leo Lions picked him up in the auctions at USD 40,000. Powar did not perform up to the mark in the league and was subsequently dropped. However, his team Leo Lions reached the final of the 6-team tournament just to finish second to the Gemini Arabians.

Powar picked up two wickets in the three matches he played and wasn’t a part of the playing XI in the semi-final and final. Which Indian cricketers do you think should take part in the foreign T20 leagues? Share your views in the comments box below.